Can't Buy Me Love
by JL-neverdied
Summary: Things are getting out of hand in the Masaki household. The tension is rising, and Tenchi must soon choose between Ryoko or Ayeka before things get too out of hand.


Tenchi sighed. He was alone, sitting on the steps of the shrine as night was falling. '_Why do I always freak out and push them away? Maybe it's because I can't decide who to choose…' _He sat under the very clouded December night sky, listing the pros and cons of his two choices: Ryoko and Ayeka. After a while, he stood up and stretched out his body, long after deciding that everyone would be worried if he was gone to long. Tenchi looked up at the night sky once more before heading back up. It was still heavily clouded, but you could see the purple shine of the setting sun. "It looks as though a storm is on it's way." He said to himself. He chilled suddenly. It was he very end of November, and the December winter wasn't wasting any time getting here. Tenchi walked faster, not wanting to catch a cold from being out. When he was back in the house, all was quiet. He headed upstairs thinking everyone had gone to bed, and there wouldn't be any more disturbances tonight. When he got to his room, he saw that his door was almost wide open. He shrugged it off, thinking Sasami or Ayeka has accidentally left it open when doing housework. Tenchi suddenly remembered the horrible evening a dinner, and quietly recalled it.

"_Wow, Sasami! This dinner looks great!" said Tenchi before digging in._

"_Thank you, Tenchi!" Sasami said quite happily with a big smile on her face._

"_You know, Tenchi," said Ryoko, wrapping her arms around him. "Sasami isn't the only one who can cook a hot meal." She nudged him._

"_Get your arms _off _him, you demon woman!" Ayeka said possessively. "He is _NOT _yours to toy with! Lord Tenchi wishes to eat now, he's tired of you hanging on him all day, disturbing his peace!"_

"_Hey, he's not yours either, Miss Prissy!"_

"_Um, can we not—" interjected Tenchi._

"Stay out this! This has nothing to do with you, Lord Tenchi!" shouted Ayeka, too bus brawling with Ryoko to notice her curtness.

The rest of the time, things were flying everywhere, everyone had either left at the first signs of a fight or was ducking under the table.

He changed into his pajamas quickly and lied on his bed to look up his ceiling. After thinking for a long while, he rolled over on his side and fell asleep to horrible thoughts such as, _'If I choose one of them, the other will be so distraught. I hope they don't do anything to themselves. ...Would they go that far as to – No, surely one wouldn't do anything drastic.' _

His dreams were restless. He dreamt of choosing one of the girls to be with. All the tears that had been around him, he couldn't tell who he had chosen. He could not differ the tears of joy and the tears of disappointment. He also dreamt of the fight against Kagato, except with alternate twists. Ryoko was dead. Tenchi no longer had the will or power to fight. Ryoko was dead… his only reason for living… Tenchi awoke with a scare, but he did not dare jump. He knew Ryoko was hovering above him, waiting for him to wake up. It was at that moment that his first dream came back to him. Tenchi knew when, where, and who he would choose. The thought hit him so suddenly he couldn't help but smile. He rolled to face above him. Surely enough, there was Ryoko floating above him, just waiting for him to open his eyes.

"Hello, Ryoko." He said with a slight dread.

"Hi Tenchi…" she said, leaning in closer to kiss him. Quickly he jumped out of bed and away.

"Ryoko… I've decided who I am going to choose."

"Oh yeah? It wouldn't happen to be the most beautiful space pirate ever to exist, would it?"

"I refuse to tell you just yet. I will let everyone know tonight."

"Isn't tonight that party… err… The early winter/Christmas party?"

"Yes. And you will all know then."

"Alright, Tenchi, I'll play it your way." She walked away with a smirk on her face. She had an instinct that she would be chosen. She knew what he had dreamt of…

Ryoko phased to the roof and surveyed the landscape. '_Where'd he get off to…?' _he thought to herself. _'Ahh! There he is!' _She spotted him sitting on the shrine steps quietly. Ryoko ran a hand through her cyan hair and sighed silently. She loved him. She truly did worry if he would ever choose, but was quite happy trying to seduce him almost daily. She sat there and gazed dreamily, lost in her own thoughts. Suddenly, she realized he was gone. She heard the door opening, and she quickly phased back inside before he heard her on the roof.

After Tenchi bathed and had gotten dressed, he headed down to the kitchen. He could smell breakfast already.

"Morning, Sasami. Where's Ayeka?" Tenchi asked, inspecting what she was cooking.

"She'll be down in a little bit—Oh! There she is! Morning, Ayeka!" Sasami said.

"Hello Sasami, Lord Tenchi." Ayeka said sleepily, but still humbly.

"Miss Ayeka, I must tell you something." Tenchi said.

"Yes, what is it, Lord Tenchi?" she said in her usual promptness.

"I will be choosing tonight, at the evening winter party." He said, already seeing her excited expression.

Sasami had stopped her cooking and froze, shocked.

"Well that's wonderful, Lord Tenchi! Does that demon woman know?" Ayeka said, almost sneering.

"Yes, she does. I will see you at breakfast, Miss Ayeka." He said, heading off to do a morning chore.

The day passed without any problems. Tenchi suspected that everyone was anxious for tonight. He spent most of the day with Ayeka, clearly wanting to put out a statement, it seemed. Ayeka seemed convinced it was she he would choose. Ryoko, on the other hand, ignored the fact that Tenchi and Ayeka were spending time together. But deep down, she knew it meant trouble for herself. She had quietly spied on them. They were having fun. A lot of it, they seemed to be enjoying each other's company. The space pirate phased back to the privacy of the roof and silently cried. _'Of course…' _she thought. _'It was always so obvious they would be together in the end.'_ She sobbed. _'Should I stick around, or run to avoid pain? Tenchi would want me to stay… but…' _

**To be continued, friends. Sorry it was so short and CRAPPY. This is my first Tenchi fan fiction… But it is not by last:Cheesy inspirational music:**

**Oh, and I don't own Tenchi Muyo or any of it's characters, yada, yada, yada…**


End file.
